YouTube is Making Vertical Video Less Awful Because Humans Never Learn

Because we can’t be trusted to do anything right, YouTube is alleviating our long-standing pain and anguish over watching vertical videos in landscape by finally giving us the option to watch those horizontally-challenged bits of cinema in full screen on Android phones. And there was much rejoicing.

As Android Police reports, a new version of YouTube (10.28) rights that grievous cinematic wrong when you select a vertical video on YouTube. Google, along with other app makers, have long been fighting against the tyranny of vertical videos but obviously YouTube is finally taking the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach.

In many ways, fighting against vertical video was always an uphill battle. Shooting video vertical on a smartphone just feels better since it’s how you hold the thing 95 per cent of the time. Youtube is just making what feels natural less awkward to watch. Also, streaming apps like Periscope force you to record vertical, meaning those frustrating portrait vids were going to be sticking around regardless.

Before and after

For now, this fix is Android-only (currently via APK Mirror), meaning iOS and web users must still suffer the slings and arrows of unfortunate smartphone cinematography. But hey, revolutions have to start somewhere.